Glōm Fest: September Tour Builds Transatlantic Platform for Goth and Post-Punk Underground

There is a word for the transitional hour of twilight, that liminal space between the certainty of day and the mystery of night: the gloaming. It is a time, as Vara Pappas, the brand manager for a new music festival, describes it, “when the bats come out, the shadows stretch, and the night comes alive.” From this evocative, atmospheric concept, Glōm Fest takes its name—signaling from the outset that this is not just another weekend music event. Rather, it is a roving, four-city symposium dedicated to the tenebrous and resonant sounds of gothic rock, post-punk, and darkwave—genres that have long found their truest expression in the half-light.

Set to debut in September 2025 with stops in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, and Vancouver, the festival is the brainchild of Christine Buckley (Original Strawberry Girl Presents), in collaboration with Ritual Reverb, a creative agency led by Brand Manager Vara Pappas and David Lawrie of The Royal Ritual. Lawrie’s production company, Ishikawa Media, also serves as a key partner in the festival’s execution.

Conceived to bring the raw, unfiltered energy of Europe’s underground artists to North American stages, Glōm Fest seeks to break down geographic and financial barriers while fostering a sustainable, artist-centered touring model. The goal is not only to spotlight independent musicians across gothic rock, post-punk, and darkwave but to build a collaborative, transatlantic community rooted in mutual support and cultural exchange.

Beyond its curatorial ambitions, the festival is built on an ethos of support that distinguishes it from the often-impersonal machinery of the modern festival circuit. It is explicitly “dedicated to elevating underground dark and post-punk musicians” by creating an “artist-centered environment” that seeks to remove the very “financial barriers that often hinder independent musicians from touring.” This commitment extends to the broader community it serves.

In a thematically resonant gesture, Glōm Fest has announced a collaboration with the Los Angeles Bat Rescue (LABR), a conservation group. Proceeds from exclusive festival merchandise will benefit the organization, allowing attendees to support not only the subterranean music scene but also the nocturnal creatures that have long served as a potent symbol of its aesthetic.

This thoughtful integration of a relevant charitable cause with an artist-first model suggests a deeper strategy. In a crowded and competitive market, Glōm Fest is not merely selling tickets; it is building cultural capital and fostering a sense of shared purpose. It is a model that aims for long-term sustainability by becoming an indispensable pillar of the community it represents, ensuring its relevance far beyond a single tour cycle.

The Enduring Allure of the Underground

The origins of a festival like Glōm, and its cultural significance, lie in the gray, post-industrial landscape of late 1970s Britain. It was there, in the wake of punk’s anarchic explosion, that a new sound began to coalesce. Bands like Siouxsie and the Banshees, Joy Division, Bauhaus, and The Cure took punk’s raw energy and do-it-yourself spirit and turned it inward, creating something more atmospheric, experimental, and introspective.

This movement, dubbed post-punk, splintered into myriad forms, but one of its most enduring offshoots became known as gothic rock. Characterized by dark arrangements, melancholic melodies, and lyrical themes of romanticism, tragedy, and morbidity, the genre and its associated subculture found a permanent home in the shadows of the mainstream.

Far from fading into obscurity, the goth scene has proven to be one of modern music’s most resilient subcultures. Over four decades, it has “survived much longer than others of the same era, and has continued to diversify and spread throughout the world.” The community, once concentrated in clubs in London and Leeds, is now a truly global phenomenon, with major hubs in Germany, Eastern Europe, and even Japan. The modern post-punk scene remains vibrant, fueled by what has been described as a “never-ending ‘post-punk revival’” that continues to produce new waves of influential bands.

The very existence of Glōm Fest, with its ambitious international roster, is a reflection of the profound ways in which technology has sustained and connected this global, niche community. In a pre-internet era, the financial risk of booking multiple European bands for a North American tour without any prior stateside presence would have been unthinkable.

Today, however, a fan in Portland can be intimately familiar with a deathrock band from France or a gothic rock act from Germany through platforms like Bandcamp, Spotify, and a global network of blogs and online radio shows.

Glōm Fest: A Wave of Debuts

The festival’s lineup is anchored by a performance that is, for many longtime fans, an event in itself: the return of The Awakening. Described as “gothic rock royalty,” the band, led by the charismatic and theatrical Ashton Nyte, has been a formative influence on the scene for decades.

Originally formed in Johannesburg, South Africa, The Awakening later relocated to the United States, where Nyte has continued to refine the band’s potent alchemy of opulent gothic rock, frosty darkwave, and angular post-punk. Yet, despite being based in the United States, the band has not performed on the continent for nine years. Their return is not merely a concert; it is a homecoming for one of the genre’s most revered and enduring acts.

Balancing this celebrated return is a formidable trio of European bands, each making their highly anticipated North American debut. The curation of these specific acts transforms the festival from a simple concert series into a live, immersive survey of the contemporary European scene. It offers a rare opportunity to witness firsthand the distinct sounds that have been shaping the subculture from across the Atlantic.

From France comes The Cemetary Girlz, a band revered in the scene as “deathrock darlings.” Founded in 2006 by DJ Alien S Pagan, the group weaves together the raw bite of post-punk with the ghastly glamour and theatricality of classic deathrock. While their sound has evolved from the visceral energy of their 2009 debut, ‘Smoke My Brain,’ to a more stylistically diverse approach incorporating elements of coldwave and shoegaze, the band remains deeply attached to its goth roots. Their lyrical themes, steeped in poetry, esotericism, and a fascination with cemeteries and the occult, further underscore this connection.

Representing Germany are Aeon Sable, a band frequently cited as part of the third wave of gothic rock. Formed by Din-Tah Aeon and Nino Sable, the duo crafts immersive compositions that blend the shadowy contours of goth with sweeping ambient textures and flashes of metallic intensity. Their work is often described as hallucinatory and ritualistic—music designed, as they have put it, to act as an “aural drug to escape reality.”

Drawing inspiration from dreams, altered states, and metaphysical introspection, their performances channel an atmosphere that is both emotionally intimate and sonically expansive, inviting listeners into a world shaped less by genre conventions than by sensation and mood.

Rounding out the trio of debuts is The Royal Ritual from the United Kingdom. Bringing an “innovative blend of electronic and industrial music,” this act represents the more experimental edge of the festival’s lineup. The inclusion of The Royal Ritual adds a layer of sonic diversity and mystique, showcasing a sound that pushes the boundaries of the traditional goth and post-punk framework.

Together, these three debuts provide a comprehensive and compelling cross-section of Europe’s dark underground, making Glōm Fest an essential event for anyone invested in the global health and evolution of the genre.

The North American Sound: Tradition and Transformation

While the international debuts provide a powerful draw, Glōm Fest is equally dedicated to showcasing the strength and diversity of the North American scene. The core touring lineup features two formidable United States-based acts that connect the genre’s legacy to its innovative present.

Pushing the genre’s boundaries is Dark Chisme, a rising duo from Seattle, Washington. Their sound defies easy categorization, fusing the moody electronics of darkwave with the propulsive rhythms of their Latin roots to create something entirely new. The duo, comprising vocalist and producer Christine Gutiérrez and multi-instrumentalist Erik “E” Schneider, weaves together elements of industrial, synth-pop, and techno into anthemic, bilingual tracks that are both danceable and defiant. Their presence on the lineup reflects Glōm Fest’s commitment to supporting emerging voices that expand the genre’s scope and cultural reach.

Further enriching the festival experience, the organizers have adopted a dynamic touring model. Glōm Fest is designed as a “pop-up music festival that can happen anywhere in the world,” and for its inaugural run, each city will feature a unique lineup with the addition of special regional guests. This approach not only provides a distinct draw for each stop but also serves to build a more interconnected network, weaving local talent into the fabric of this international event.

In Los Angeles, the lineup will be joined by Matte Blvck. The San Diego-based trio is known for their high-intensity live shows and a sound that fuses darkwave and industrial with pulsing electronic rhythms. Their aesthetic is both aggressive and atmospheric, drawing on themes of desire, chaos, and sensory excess. The festival describes their style as a “sinfully seductive blend of darkwave, industrial, and electronic mayhem,” a characterization reflected in the band’s brooding, club-ready compositions.

In Vancouver, the festival will welcome Urban Heat, adding another layer to the tour’s northernmost stop. This thoughtful strategy of integrating local and regional artists does more than just vary the setlist; it fosters a sense of collaboration and strengthens the ties between different regional scenes. It transforms the tour from an external event into a shared celebration, building a more resilient and cooperative underground community across the West Coast.

Where Darkness Finds Its Voice

Against a backdrop of automated playlists and massive, one-size-fits-all festivals, Glōm Fest stands out as a deeply personal and intentionally focused gathering. Its significance lies not just in the concerts it presents, but in its role as a vital act of cultural preservation and community-building. More than a mere series of concerts, the event serves as an artfully designed link between continents, an homage to a worldwide subculture, and a resounding affirmation of underground music’s persistent and developing heritage.

The festival closes a long-standing gap for fans, bringing hugely influential but rarely seen European artists to North American stages. Its artist-centric environment champions the next wave of domestic talent, representing a direct investment in the future of the music it celebrates. Furthermore, fostering a space where a diffuse digital community can finally gather in person reaffirms the irreplaceable power of live music to forge real-world connections.

The inaugural Glōm Fest is a bold declaration that the sounds born in the shadows of post-punk are not a relic of the past but a living, breathing, and thriving global movement. It is poised to become a defining new fixture on the North American cultural calendar—a place where “dark sounds resonate, cultures collide, and fans find community.” This September, for four nights along the West Coast, the darkness will not just be seen, but heard.

Conclusion

The Glōm Fest 2025 tour commences on September 12 in Los Angeles at The Lodge Room, an all-ages event featuring special guest Matte Blvck. General admission face-value tickets start at $47.25 in Los Angeles for the event, which is listed without a specific age restriction. The following night, September 13, the festival moves to San Francisco’s DNA Lounge for a 21-and-over event with guest Soft Vein joining the bill. General admission tickets are $45.

After a brief pause, the tour resumes on September 19 in Portland at the Star Theater, presenting a lineup that includes The Awakening, The Cemetary Girlz, Matte Blvck, Dark Chisme, and The Royal Ritual for a 21-and-over audience. The Portland show offers general admission tickets from approximately $53, with VIP packages available for around $110. The final stop is on September 20 in Vancouver, British Columbia, at The Cobalt, a 19-and-over event where Austin’s Urban Heat will join the bill as a special guest. General admission tickets are priced at CA $65.

Tickets for all dates are sold directly through the individual venues, with the official Glōm Fest website serving as a central hub with direct links to each official purchasing page. Potential attendees should be aware that tickets may appear on secondary resale markets, where prices can fluctuate and are often significantly higher than the original face value.

For those seeking an enhanced experience, VIP packages are available for all tour dates. These premium packages typically include a general admission ticket, early entry into the venue, a gift bag with exclusive festival merchandise, and a meet-and-greet opportunity with the bands. Specific perks may differ slightly by location; the Los Angeles package, for example, includes access to a dedicated VIP viewing area, while the San Francisco event offers the option of bottle service for groups of six, nine, or twelve. VIP ticket prices are approximately $115 in Los Angeles, $100 in San Francisco, and $110 in Portland.